Is online gambling legal in Manitoba?

In MBLL’s own words: “In Manitoba, MBLL is the designated authority and PlayNow is the only legal online gambling site authorized to operate in the province” (MBLL news release, July 7, 2025).

Key takeaways

• One legal site. PlayNow.com is operated by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL) and is regulated by the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA). It has been online since January 2013.
• The age is 18. Manitoba law bars minors from provincial gaming, and in Manitoba you stop being a minor at 18. PlayNow checks your age and residency before you can play.
• Offshore sites are not legal here. In 2025 a Manitoba judge declared that Bodog has “no lawful authority” to offer online gambling to people in Manitoba. Help is free 24/7 at 1-800-463-1554.

The short answer

Canada’s Criminal Code makes most gambling a crime. Section 207 carves out an exception: a provincial government may “conduct and manage a lottery scheme” in its province, alone or with other provinces. PlayNow relies on this rule, as explained below.

In Manitoba, that job belongs to Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries. Under the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation Act, MBLL is responsible for the distribution and sale of gambling products in the province, and it reports to the Province through an appointed board of directors (MBLL Structure and Governance). Its online channel is PlayNow.com.

PlayNow’s own FAQ explains the legal basis. PlayNow “does not require an operating licence because Canada’s Criminal Code allows each provincial government to conduct and manage gambling in their respective province”, and it is regulated by the LGCA. The same FAQ calls PlayNow “100% legal” in Manitoba, “unlike the hundreds of gambling websites operating illegally in Manitoba and Canada” (PlayNow Help and FAQs).

Who runs PlayNow in Manitoba

PlayNow is a shared platform. Its FAQ says PlayNow.com “is managed and operated by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries within the province of Manitoba through British Columbia Lottery Corporation (‘BCLC’) as its service provider.” So the site looks similar to PlayNow in British Columbia, but the Manitoba version (playnow.com/mb) is Manitoba’s.

MBLL says all PlayNow profits “stay in the province” to support programs such as health care, education, and social and community services (MBLL Our Products).

Product	On PlayNow Manitoba?	Notes from the official source
Lottery	Yes	Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49, Daily Grand and Western lotteries are sold online.
Casino games (slots, table games, live casino)	Yes	Listed on the PlayNow Manitoba site.
Sports betting	Yes	Sports and novelty betting are listed by MBLL.
Poker	Yes	Shared poker network with players from British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec.
Bingo	Yes	Shared with players from British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec.

Sources: PlayNow Help and FAQs, MBLL Our Products.

Who can open an account

According to PlayNow’s FAQ, you must:

• be a Manitoba resident,
• be 18 or older, and
• be located in Manitoba when you buy or play.

PlayNow checks your identity, age and residency with a soft credit-bureau check (Equifax Canada), which it says does not affect your credit rating. It also reads your location (IP address or device location) when you log in and while you play, and you need location services turned on. It is a breach of the Player Agreement to try to buy while outside Manitoba.

Who regulates gambling in Manitoba

Body	Role
Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA)	The regulator. The LGCA describes its role as “Regulating liquor, gaming, cannabis and horse racing in Manitoba” (LGCA). MBLL says the LGCA “licenses charitable gambling activities, ensures the technical integrity of games and equipment, monitors compliance, and performs other activities required of the regulator.” PlayNow says all its games are independently tested and must meet the LGCA’s requirements.
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL)	The operator. It runs PlayNow.com, Club Regent Casino and McPhillips Station Casino in Winnipeg, the Shark Club Gaming Centre, and video lottery terminals (VLTs) in hotels, lounges and legions across Manitoba.
First Nations and municipalities	The LGCA says some First Nations and municipalities are authorized under the law to license certain gaming activities, and it gives them support and training.

Sources: LGCA, LGCA Gaming, MBLL Structure and Governance, PlayNow Help and FAQs.

Legal gambling age in Manitoba

18. Here is where that number comes from, in the official sources:

• Section 98(1) of Manitoba’s Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act says: “A minor must not participate in provincial gaming.” Section 98(2) places duties to keep minors out on MBLL, the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC), and anyone licensed as a gaming operator, siteholder or lottery ticket retailer.
• Manitoba’s Age of Majority Act says every person “ceases to be a minor, on attaining the age of 18 years.”
• PlayNow requires every account holder to be “18+ years of age” (PlayNow Help and FAQs).

Can private or offshore gambling sites operate in Manitoba?

No. MBLL states that “PlayNow is the only legal online gambling site authorized to operate in the province” (MBLL news release, July 7, 2025). No official Manitoba source lists any private online casino or sportsbook as licensed to serve Manitobans. The LGCA’s gaming licences cover things like raffles, charitable gaming, lottery ticket retailers, VLT siteholders, gaming employees and suppliers (LGCA Gaming). MBLL’s CEO said after the 2025 ruling below that MBLL “has the sole legal authority to provide gambling offerings within the province.”

A 2025 court case made the position clear. According to MBLL’s news release of July 7, 2025:

• On May 26, 2025, Justice Jeffrey Harris of the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba ordered an immediate and permanent ban on Bodog in Manitoba.
• The court declared that Bodog has “no lawful authority to offer online gambling products and services” or to advertise them to people in Manitoba, because this breaks sections 201, 202 and 206 of the Criminal Code.
• The judge accepted evidence that Bodog markets itself to Manitobans as a legal, safe online casino when its operations in Manitoba are illegal. Because no Canadian government regulates Bodog, it has no obligation here to offer responsible gambling tools, pay taxes or follow anti-money-laundering rules.
• The companies linked to Bodog were ordered to geo-block Manitoba.

MBLL brought the case on behalf of the Canadian Lottery Coalition. In the same release, BCLC President and CEO Pat Davis said many illegal sites operate “in offshore markets that leave no protection or recourse for the player.”

Self-exclusion and player limits

Tools on PlayNow

From My Account > My Budgets you can (Manage Your Play Online):

• Set a weekly deposit limit. A lower limit takes effect right away.
• Set a playing-time limit, daily or weekly.
• Lock your account for anywhere from 24 hours up to 3 months. Poker has its own separate limit and lock tools inside the poker client and app.

Voluntary Self-Exclusion (VSE)

For a longer break, Manitoba runs Voluntary Self-Exclusion. From MBLL’s July 2026 VSE brochure and Finding Help page:

Question	Answer
What does it cover?	Club Regent Casino, McPhillips Station Casino, the Shark Club Gaming Centre, any future MBLL gambling facility, and PlayNow.com.
PlayNow only?	Log in, go to My Account, choose Self-Exclusion. Your account is cancelled and unredeemed player cash is paid out. This does not exclude you from the casinos.
Casinos and PlayNow together?	Ask any casino employee for Security or a Manager, or call MBLL Corporate Security at 204-957-2500 ext. 8468 to book an appointment elsewhere. You’ll need government photo ID, and your photo is taken.
How long?	You choose a minimum of 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or 3 years.
How does it end?	Only after the period is over, you complete the free Pause and Plan course, you send MBLL a signed written request, and MBLL confirms in writing that it has ended.
Can I exclude a family member?	No. Only the person who wants to self-exclude can sign up.

If you gamble while excluded, MBLL says losses are not refunded and winnings may not be paid.

Where to get help

• Manitoba Gambling Helpline: 1-800-463-1554. Free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in multiple languages (MBLL VSE brochure). It also helps people worried about someone else’s gambling.
• Free counselling: Shared Health (formerly the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba) offers professional gambling counselling at no charge (MBLL Finding Help).
• Informed Gambling Centres at McPhillips Station Casino (204-985-1240) and Club Regent Casino (204-985-0419), and the informedgambling.ca website.
• Peer support: Gamblers Anonymous, and Gam-Anon for family and friends, are listed by MBLL.
• Money trouble: MBLL lists Community Financial for help managing finances affected by gambling.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

What has changed recently

• January 2013. PlayNow.com launched in Manitoba and by year-end offered casino games, live poker, live sports betting and lottery (MBLL History, MBLL news releases).
• April 1, 2014. Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries was formed, combining the sale and distribution of liquor and gambling products, when the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation Act took effect. Regulatory oversight for liquor moved from the MLCC to the new Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba (MBLL History), which continues today as the LGCA (LGCC Act s. 3(1)).
• 2021. Single-event sports betting was introduced in Canada. MBLL says that since then Canadians have seen a rapid increase in online gaming sites and ads from illegal operators (MBLL news release, July 7, 2025).
• May 26, 2025. The Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba banned Bodog from operating in or advertising to Manitoba.
• Early July 2025. Justice Jeffrey Harris issued his written reasons, and MBLL announced them in a news release on July 7, 2025 (MBLL).
• July 2026. MBLL updated its Voluntary Self-Exclusion brochure.

Practical next steps

1. Check the address. The only legal online gambling site in Manitoba is PlayNow at playnow.com/mb, run by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries. Ads for other sites do not make them legal.
2. Set limits before you play. In PlayNow, go to My Account, then My Budgets, and set a weekly deposit limit and a time limit.
3. Need to stop? Use Self-Exclusion in your PlayNow account, or call 204-957-2500 ext. 8468 to exclude from the casinos too.
4. Talk to someone. Call 1-800-463-1554 any time. It’s free and confidential.

Frequently asked questions

Is online gambling legal in Manitoba?

Yes, on PlayNow.com, which Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries runs under section 207 of the Criminal Code and the LGCA regulates. A Manitoba court ruled in 2025 that the offshore site Bodog has no lawful authority to offer gambling in the province.

What is the gambling age in Manitoba?

You must be 18 or older. Provincial law bars minors from provincial gaming, Manitoba’s Age of Majority Act sets majority at 18, and PlayNow requires every player to be 18 or older.

Is PlayNow legal in Manitoba?

Yes. PlayNow Manitoba is operated by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, with BCLC as its service provider, and it is regulated by the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba.

Can I use PlayNow if I’m outside Manitoba?

No. You must be a Manitoba resident and physically in Manitoba to buy or play. PlayNow checks your location when you log in and during play.

Can I be charged for playing on Bodog or another offshore site in Manitoba?

The 2025 Manitoba ruling was against the operator, not its players. The Criminal Code does have a player-side offence: section 207(3)(b) makes taking part in a lottery scheme that no province authorizes punishable on summary conviction. Offshore and Kahnawà:ke-licensed sites have no Manitoba authorization, and the LGCA can’t help with a dispute there.

Who regulates gambling in Manitoba?

The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA). It regulates liquor, gaming, cannabis and horse racing, checks the technical integrity of games and monitors compliance.

How do I self-exclude from gambling in Manitoba?

For PlayNow only, log in and choose My Account, then Self-Exclusion. To exclude from the casinos and PlayNow together, ask casino Security or a Manager, or call 204-957-2500 ext. 8468. You can pick 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or 3 years. For support, call the Gambling Helpline at 1-800-463-1554 (24/7).

This page explains the law in general terms. It is not legal advice. Last reviewed September 30, 2026, against the official sources listed below.